Escape the winter weather and travel to sunny Southern California for a fun-filled week touring spectacular gardens!

 

We'll be based in lovely and historic Pasadena, home of the Tournament of Roses, where we'll stay six nights in the luxurious and iconic Huntington Hotel.

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Each day we'll take small group tours with a private guide seeing magnificent gardens that will inspire you.

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We'll tour the world-renowned Huntington Gardens located in San Marino. The Huntington's botanical gardens consists of 12 specialized gardens spread over 120 acres. The gardens have over 15,000 plant varieties. Winter is a colorful time to visit the gardens. Expected to be in March bloom includes: bird of paradise, cyclops, razzelburns, vulcans, cow's horn euphorbia, bridal wreath spirea, giant coreopsis, kalanchoe mortagei... and of course, colorful azaleas and roses!

 

We'll also have the opportunity to visit The Huntington Library's collection of rare books and manual scripts on display, including Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a Gutenberg Bible on vellum, and Audubon’s Birds of America. Plus we'll have the opportunity to tour The Huntington Art Gallery that contains one of the most comprehensive collections in this country of 18th- and 19th-century British and French art. It serves as home to Gainsborough’s Blue Boy and Lawrence’s Pinkie

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We'll visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden, an 127-acre historical site nestled near the Santa Gabriel Mountains, with botanical collections from all over the world. We'll tour Descanso Gardens in Flintridge, seeing the garden's 150-acre estate with picturesque botanic gardens, native California plants and oak forests. Expected to be in bloom in your March visit are: tulips, camellias, irises, lilacs, cherry trees, clivia and daffodils.

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We'll take a day trip the Westside of Los Angeles to visit The Getty Center Central Garden, designed by artist Robert Irwin, and travel to Malibu on the coast to visit The Getty Villa gardens. You'll also have the opportunity to tour the art collections at both The Getty Center and The Getty Villa.

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We’ll take a day trip to the "American Riviera," Santa Barbara. We'll have a private tour of Lotusland,  the historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska, recognized as "one of the ten best gardens of the world." We'll visit Casa del Herrero , one of California's most beautiful landmarks, the 11-acre preserved historic Montecito estate, noted as one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and designated a National Historic Landmark. We'll have a docent-led tour of the estate's lovely gardens, house, and workshop.

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We'll visit The Virginia Robinson Gardens, a unique historic estate and cultural jewel that transports visitors back to the birthplace of Beverly Hills. Built in 1911, it was once the residence of Virginia and Harry Robinson and now occupies an illustrious place in history as the first luxury estate built in Beverly Hills. Today, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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We'll visit Pasadena's Norton Simon Museum and Sculpture Garden. The museum is known around the world for having one of the world's most remarkable private art collections. Among the most celebrated works are Branchini Madonna by Giovanni di Paolo; Madonna and Child with Book by Raphael; Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose by Francisco de Zurbarán; Portrait of a Boy by Rembrandt van Rijn; Mulberry Tree by Vincent van Gogh; Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Edgar Degas; and Woman with a Book by Pablo Picasso. The garden provides a stunning setting for some of the museum’s most important sculpture and has a lush pond decorated by several varieties of water lilies, stately trees, colorful shrubs and flowers, and meandering paths.

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The Southern California Garden Tour Is Designed To Provide:

• A fabulous winter retreat touring beautiful Southern California gardens.

• Friendly and fun small group environment limited to 18 persons. Enjoy the camaraderie and begin friendships with like-minded travelers.

• Free personal time for added going to museums... shopping... relaxing.

• Optional group morning pleasure walks led by WalkEurope president, Tom Harter.

• Recommended restaurants provided should you want to explore on your own, yet everyone is invited to join for evening group meals.

• Connoisseur service & support – fully escorted tour, personal & customized service, for a fun and worry-free vacation!​ 

 

What's Included:​

• Six nights in Pasadena's classic and elegant The Langham Huntington Hotel -- located in Pasadena's historic Oak Knoll residential district. 

• Daily hotel breakfasts (6 days).

• Daily lunches at gardens we are visiting (5 days) 

• Welcome Reception – with California wines and cheeses

• Farewell Dinner - with California-cuisine and wines.

• Visits to:

  • The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens

  • The Getty Center & The Getty Villa

  • Virginia Robinson Gardens

  • Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden

  • Lotusland in Santa Barbara

  • Casa del Herrero in Montecito

  • Norton Simon Museum & Sculpture Garden

• Morning Pleasure Walks - optional before breakfast group pleasure walks through Pasadena and San Marino neighborhoods. 

• Garden, museum and villa entrance fees for all group activities and day trips.

• Ground transportation for all group activities.

 

Arrival & Departure City:

Los Angeles, California 

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Trip Cost:

Premiere Signature/Luxury Hotel - Langham Huntington Hotel

• $3,950 – 7 days / 6 nights per person in double occupancy shared hotel room. For solo travelers, we will try to find you a roommate. Tour does not include airfare.

• $1,275 – Added cost for private single room accommodation option (limited availability).          

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Space Is Limited -- Available on 1st Reserve Basis -- Recommended to Reserve Early!

Limited to 18 persons.